The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-12-10

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falling prices elsewhere.
The combination held up long, and the
margins 10 sustain it were regularly pald,
bnt the break came at last and the mystery
was solved All the available cash OF the
/ aged Briggs swift, and nearly all that of
the depositors of the Fidelity National
bank. had gone into the IDEAL and was
irretrievably lost The spOnsible mir
was Edward l. Harper, and associated
with him were Ammi Baldwin cashier
and benjamin Hopkins, assistant cashier
The last two wait their turn, as Harper Is
tried first
He is comparatively a young man, not
quite 80 years Old native of the lumber
regions OF Pennsylvania, and has been a
Spectator from the start Ii Is sad That
i'm one transaction. In 1891 he and 70 few
associates netted $1,000 900 in "A Chicago
deal infatuated. like other gamblers he
went i'm again. on the falling market II
1888. AMI lost it ALI third time be tried
il, with other peoples money aud Is noW
called upon to prove that his action was
not criminal The prosecution charges
that he was assisted by Cashiers Hopkins
aud Ammi Baldwin. The latter Is Op
years old and has seen much trouble. His
son. Harry Baldwin, was murdered on the
street i'm Cincinnati n 1879. and no cleN
10 the perpetratOr was ever found BenJa
min Hopkins is 81 years Old and a man #
marked ability I'm some respects bat very
peculiar i'm others lac is a Sprtuali-t y
the extreme type and an eager reader Of
all sorts uf out OF the way and occult
literature The prosecution charges that
he connived with Harper for the exchange
Of PERSONA! checks. that these were 10 be
returned in the assets az cash, and that
Miss Josie Holmes, exchange clerk of the
bank. over whom Harper exercised some
strange influence, did the fraudulent
clerical work. she is also under arrest
Additional charges against Harper relate
To fictitious credits, false accounts aud
bogus certificates Of deposit
As might be expected, there was much
difficulty in securing jury the matter
having obtained Wide notoriety, all the
facts having been published ia the papers.
4 special yenire was issued and sixty
talesmen were sworn on their voir dire
before the impartial twelve were ST.
lected Nearly all the talesmen are
farmers of the best class and the jury
consists of men Of high character Ii Us
occasions like this, especially In the agrl-
cultural regions. that show the value of
American institutions and The high char
acter Of American citizenship. The yer-
dict Of such a jury carries with il the
for,g Of matured and honest conclusions.
All the surroundings of the trial are such
as TO make il historic. II is held i'm the
large and handsome United states circuit
court room, on Main street, the adOrn-
ments of the room symbolic the dignity
Of the government, and from the wall the
large portraits of the late Judges Swing and
Mclean look down upon their worthy sue
cessOrs, Judges Sage and Jackson. United
States District Attorney Burnett, assisted
by Mr. Henry Hooper, prOsecutes Maj.
Blackburn and ex-Judge Wilson defend;
United States Marshal Henry G. Urner
aud his deputy, Richard G. Rohner, are
the ministerial officers, and Miss Ryan, a
petite, black eyed young lady is official
stenOgrapher. The crowd in attendance
packs the room; the prisoner Is attended
by his wife and family and in the audi
ence are many distinguished lawyers and
public men The people recognize this as
one OF the great trials of the age